Cylinder vacuum cleaners generally comprise a main body containing separating apparatus for separating dirt and dust from an airflow. The airflow is introduced to the main body via a hose and wand assembly to the distal end of which is normally attached a cleaning tool. The hose and wand assembly comprises a rigid wand portion which is attached to the main body via a flexible hose. The flexible hose is commonly connected to the wand portion by way of a rotatable coupling which allows the flexible hose to rotate about its own axis whilst remaining coupled to the rigid wand portion. A handgrip portion is commonly located at the end of the rigid wand portion remote from the cleaning tool and adjacent the flexible hose. By means of the gripping portion, the cleaning tool is manoeuvered over the surface to be cleaned so as to introduce dirt-laden air to the main body. The dirt can then be separated from the airflow and retained in the main body whilst the cleaned air is returned to the environment.
Upright vacuum cleaners normally include a main body containing dirt and dust separating apparatus to which dirt-laden air is introduced via a ground-engaging cleaning head mounted on the body. However, many upright vacuum cleaners are convertible into cylinder cleaners by way of a hose and wand assembly which can optionally be brought into operation in place of the ground-engaging cleaning head. The hose and wand assembly normally used in connection with an upright vacuum cleaner has the same general construction as that described above in relation to cylinder cleaners. Other domestic appliances such as carpet shampooing machines can include hose and wand assemblies of the same type.
A difficulty associated with conventional hose and wand assemblies is that they can be cumbersome and difficult to manoeuvre, particularly when accessing restricted areas and when the hose becomes distorted due to an excessive amount of twisting. Also, in order to allow a sufficient length of flexible hose for most purposes, and in order to ensure that the incoming air is not restricted whilst passing along the hose, a flexible hose of substantial length and diameter has to be provided. In order to provide sufficient durability, the flexible hose therefore has to be made of a durable material and this can result in the hose being relatively heavy which inevitably causes some restrictions to the manoeuverability of the hose and wand assembly and/or the floor tool carried thereby. Hoses along which electrical conductors must be provided can be heavier still, and are sometimes less flexible. A further difficulty with conventional hose and wand assemblies is that, in order to achieve good pick-up results, the cleaning tool must be pressed firmly to the floor or carpet. This means that the hose, which can be bulky and/or heavy, must be lifted further off the ground which is inconvenient for the user and adds to the load and stresses acting on the user's hand and wrist. The loads and stresses acting on the user's hand can also be increased if the user chooses to move the body of the cleaner across the floor by pulling either the hose or the handle of the wand in the desired direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,883 describes a hose and wand assembly for a vacuum cleaner in which a rigid elbow is interposed between a suction pipe (wand) and a hose, the elbow having a rotating knuckle joint which allows the hose to rotate with respect to the pipe.